What are CBD oils? Do they really work, or is it just a fad?

There has been a huge amount of interest – and inevitably misinformation – about CBD over the last year or so.

Can an extract from the cannabis plant really help with so many health concerns? Is it going to get you high or make you fail a drugs test? These are just a couple of the questions that we are asked daily, so it is well about time to put a few matters straight.

Do be aware from the outset that there is still a lot to be learned about how CBD seems to help address so many issues, but this is mostly based on anecdotal evidence and very early scientific study.

But when millions of people are singing its praises – surely it is time to pay some attention, right?

What are CBD oils?

CBD oils are the result of processing hemp in a way that removes the psychoactive component (THC) that gets people high. This can be done by several different ways, but always look for products that are chemical free, use organic and unmolested hemp with a CO2 extraction process.

You can read about why this is important in other articles but in a nutshell, it is because we want the best concentrate of cannabinoids possible left over after the extraction process is complete.

Legally speaking, the limit in the UK is 0.2% residual THC but this wildly varies internationally.

The oil is then applied to a delivery agent. Often this is taken in the form of droplets that are held under the tongue, however capsules, sprays, e-liquids, and lotions are also popular methods of ingestion too.

Regardless of strength or purity, these are universally non-toxic making it impossible to overdose or get high even if you drank a full bottle (what a waste!).

Once in the bloodstream, the CBD passes through the body’s own endocannabinoid system and replenishes depleted/understrength receptors located from head to toe. These are believed to be very important to maintaining overall health – although research is still being undertaken into figuring out exactly how.

Do CBD oils work?

This is the million dollar question and one that nobody can answer with universal certainty.

Medical communities are generally optimistic that CBD is indeed capable of making a huge difference to the ailments suffered by many people.

But because it is not clinically understood why (yet) doctors are obliged to take a cautious approach when it comes to recommending them to their patients. This is despite the absolute fact that they are totally harmless – otherwise, they would obviously be prohibited!

When it comes to starting out on CBD the tricky part is not just determining if it works for you or not, but establishing an effective dose. People are all designed differently and age/weight/genetics play a significant role in determining what level of intake ought to be taken.

Throw in the fact that some people are just unresponsive regardless of how much they consume and clearly, this is a frustrating hurdle to overcome. To put it simply – you just don’t know until you’ve tried and experimented with it.

For those who have experienced positive benefits, the majority do so by feeling a reduction in the symptoms of their disorder.

Millions of people report feeling their anxiety – while still present – not being as significant. Others find the pain relief it offers, especially for muscular and degenerative conditions sometimes life-changing. These are just two examples of where anecdotally speaking, people do enjoy a significant improvement to the state of their condition that they were experiencing before.

We’ve so far only scraped the surface of understanding how CBD works for some and not others. But what is absolutely certain is that trying it out is not going to make anything worse. Stick with it and experiment with dosage and yes, there’s a very real possibility that you may hit the ‘sweet spot’ that makes things a whole lot better.

Some studies have indicated that CBD does really help most people with pain, seizures, anxiety and even diabetes.

It may be tempting to just think it’s a good idea to leap right in with a massive dose and see if it works – but unfortunately, it just doesn’t work like that. Taking too much expensive high strength product unnecessarily is going to hurt your bank balance! Instead, try a medium dose and work from there.

Or better still, do some extensive research about your condition and those who have been there before – there are enormous amounts of anecdotal advice to be found online. One of the best sites that offers such information is cbdoilsale.co.uk.

Concluding thoughts

Hopefully, this quick overview of two of the big questions about CBD has laid out a few facts about the supplement that many people overlook.

Our advice has to be to source a quality product and then start low and grow your dosage. If it works – fantastic. If not, you are just unlucky.

By no means is this the wonder drug that some over excitable people claim for it to be. Used appropriately though, and the benefits can be extremely impressive.